Sunken Cheeks

Ageing has a profound effect on the appearance of the mid face. There may be significant atrophy of subcutaneous fat, leading to a loss of volume and decreased support for facial features, as well as a loss of skin elasticity.

The consequences of fat atrophy in the mid face include a loss of prominence in the cheek area, accentuation of hollow cheek bones, and the presence of excess skin. In addition, the area below the cheek bone known as the buccal cheek area will often become more indented. In some patients, this can create a 'gaunt' or aged look. Ageing cheeks can even cause a hollowing effect around the eyes, accentuating hollow eye circles especially if eye surgery with fat removal has been performed. Volume loss is one of the most significant contributors to facial ageing. People who are overweight rarely develop this sign of facial ageing as their cheeks remain fuller and more rounded.

Often an ageing face is less about a softening jawline and more about losing volume higher up in the face viz. the temples, the eyebrow area, the anterior and lateral midface giving the appearance of sunken cheeks. Although surgical procedures have been used traditionally to tighten skin and muscle and reduce the appearance of sagging around the jawline and midface, surgery cannot restore lost volume in the cheek area and a new generation of techniques are better suited for this purpose such as the Liquid Facelift also known as dermal filler rejuvenation.

At Skin Renewal, we have introduced rejuvenative techniques such as the Liquid Facelift which is better suited for volume replacement than traditional techniques such as fat transfer which has considerable downtime. After having had their cheeks "volumised" with dermal fillers, a lot of patients come back to say that they did not realize what a big difference putting the "apple back into their cheeks has made and they usually request more volume. Young adults have fuller cheeks which reflect light, and recreating cheek volume in ageing patients who have lost facial volume creates a youthful appearance.

Skin Renewal Tip

Volume loss around the eye area is another indication for dermal filler correction. Take a good look at the area under your eyes. Is there a hollow trough between the base of the puff and the top of your cheek? Surgery to address tear trough hollows is not always appropriate but tear-trough rejuvenation with dermal fillers brings back youthful volume and contours the lower eyelids in a safe and minimally invasive way. You'll have a series of micro-injections all along the line of the hollow using hyaluronic gel fillers- followed by a little gentle massage to distribute the gel evenly. There is only minimal discomfort and the procedure only takes about 10 minutes. But it's best to seek out an experienced doctor to carry out the treatment as the results are very injector dependent. There could be mild swelling and a 10 % chance of bruising around the eyes but this soon settles. You'll see the results instantly and the effects last around nine to 12 to 18 months.

Reviews

I had 28 threads inserted by Dr Maureen Allem at Skin Renewal. The procedure was quick and completely painless. I was a little nervous beforehand, but as soon as Dr Allem started working I felt completely at ease. Once the local anaesthetic wore off later, I experienced a very slight sensation of discomfort - but nothing worth noting.

There was no pain or discomfort from the following day onwards. I bruise very easily, so did experience slight bruising - but I was well prepared for this. I have had a 'before' pic taken, but not an 'after' pic as yet. I would definitely have the treatment again and have already recommended it to many people. It is a very easy and pain-free way to slow down the ageing process and to 'lift' the face.

Please note: the information contained on this page is not meant to diagnose any condition or provide conclusive treatment options for a given condition. The final decision on treatments and diagnosis can only be made after a full history is obtained in person, and a physical examination is done.